Coastal community projects benefit from EMFF grants

DETAILS of EMFF grants of €1.6 million, awarded by Ireland’s seven Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs) to 141 coastal based projects, were confirmed this week by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, TD. 

These grants support a total investment of €2.7 million and are co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under Ireland’s European Maritime & Fisheries Fund Operational Programme for the seafood sector. 

Announcing the grant awards, Minister Creed said: ‘I am delighted to report fantastic demand of over 200 applications from coastal communities in this first round of offers in 2018 for a very wide range of investments in their communities and to announce the award by the FLAGs of €1.6 million in grants to 141 coastal projects.  These projects will provide valuable economic and social benefits to our coastal communities.’ 

Successful projects included capital investments in micro seafood enterprises, marine tourism and marine leisure projects, heritage projects, small harbour facilities and environmental projects.

The grants were in the South region, covering the Co Cork coastline, were allocated as follows with total investment in brackets: Denis & Kieran O’Shea to refrigerate and insulate a van to transport fish, €4,160 (€5,200); Tim O’Leary, Whiddy Island, for accommodation, €56,000 (€140,000); Ballycotton Development Company Ltd for bringing historical maps into the community, €4,551 (€5,688.75); Michael Crowley for refrigerated van, €5,200 (€6,500); Comharchumann Chléire Teoranta, shower for mariners, €4,908.80 (€6,136); Coláiste Pobail Chléire for Turais Báid Faire Mara Chléire, €1,766.40 (€2,208); The Lagoon Activity Centre for floating aqua park, €25,000 (€50,000); Bantry Rowing Club for equipment, €4,026 (€8,052); Ring Rowing Club for training facility (shed) €2,848 (€5,696); Courtmacsherry Harbour Management Committee for Courtmacsherry Harbour landing davit, €14,531.46 (€24,219.10); Aghada Sea Scout Group (Scouting Ireland) for small fleet upgrade, €16,500 (€33,000); Travara Shellfish Limited for added-value processing unit for Irish shellfish and fish catches for Cork inshore fishing vessels, €46,245.39 (€92,490.78); Seven Heads Peninsula Tourism for Courtmacsherry Seafood Festival, €2,000 (€2,500); Cork District & Draft Net Fishermen’s Association to install a new chiller unit at a cold unit in Ferrypoint, €7,040 (€8,800); Schull Community Harbour Development Group for insulation bins, €3,604 (€4,505) and Dan McCarthy for training, €867.50 (€1,735).

The total grants for the South region come to €199,248.55 towards an overall cost of €396,730.63 for the projects being aided. 

The deadline for the second call for FLAG applicants is Wednesday, May 30th, 2018 at 5pm. Details of the FLAG scheme and on how to apply can be found at www.bim.ie/schemes.